Note: The
following information is reprinted from my book Teaching English, How To…. Xlibris, 2004.
Question:
What roles do people play when participating in small-group work?
Answer/Quote: David M. Litsey suggests 18 roles that people can play
in a group enterprise. He divides these roles into three categories:
‘Maintenance,’ ‘Task Roles,’ and ‘Self-Serving Roles.’
Maintenance Roles
1. Encouraging: Being warm and responsive
to others; accepting the contributions of others; giving others an opportunity
for recognition.
2. Expressing group feelings: Sensing
feeling and mood, r relationships within the group, and sharing one’s own
feeling with other members.
3. Harmonizing: Attempting to reconcile
differences and reduce tension by giving people a chance to explore their
differences.
4. Compromising: When one’s own ideas or
status is involved in a conflict, offering to compromise admitting error;
disciplining oneself to maintain group cohesion.
5. Gate-keeping: Keeping communication
channels open and facilitating the participation of others.
6. Setting Standards: Expressing standards
for the group to achieve; applying standards in evaluating group function and
production.
Comment:
Obviously, these roles emphasize the
positive in group relationships. RayS.
Next blog:
Task Roles.
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